***
02. The owner of the empty cage
***
Silence passed. It seemed that the surprised feelings of my parents were conveyed through the expression on their faces.
My parents blinked their eyes for a long time because they couldn’t believe what came out of my mouth.
More than a divorce, it was a declaration of succession to the dukedom. They would never have dared to think that their daughter would say this.
How much time has passed?
My father’s cautious question echoed through me.
“Aileen, are you serious?”
“Yes. It’s our family I have to inherit anyway. There is no one else who will have more rights to inherit it but me.”
I nodded.
“Sebastian is a knight, and after all, he doesn’t fit the position of the Duke.”
The Duke’s title was supposed to be for Sebastian.
My parents protected me with the utmost sincerity. After I lost the use of my legs and was heartbroken, they didn’t want to pass on any hard work to me. To the extent that they decided to hand over the position of the head of the household to their son-in-law.
“My legs just don’t move, I’m not mentally ill. I just didn’t go to the academy. I had also completed my formal education. Most of all, I never said I didn’t want to be a head of the household.”
“But Aileen, that’s… ”
“I am confident that I will do well. Please give me the Duke’s title.”
My mother looked at me, unable to speak anymore at my firm voice.
When I was young, I thought that I would like to follow my father and inherit the position and rule this duchy well. I was once a child with a dream. I didn’t want to give up on it now just because my legs weren’t perfect.
And if there was ever a suitable time to claim the position, it would be now.
I bit my lip and looked at my father. My father looked at me silently without answering, and was lost in thought.
He opened his mouth.
“After the divorce proceedings are completed, I will schedule a succession to the dukedom.”
“Really?”
My eyes grew round. My mother looked at my father as if confused.
“Honey, are you really going to give Aileen the seat…”
“Aileen is right, madam.”
My father’s answer followed. His eyes were firmly on me.
“Our daughter is also strong enough to rule the duke family.”
“But…… .”
“Let’s trust our daughter. It is the best thing for the family to have Aileen follow us and become the head of the household.”
My father seemed to feel a different power than before in my stubborn attitude. And my father’s feelings were certainly right. Because I, too, felt the change that was taking place within me. A different form of me than I used to be.
“Thank you, Father.”
I smiled. My life was turning like that in a different direction.
***
Shortly thereafter, a letter arrived from Sebastian.
[Serif Inn Room 304, the divorce papers here, and tell me where Bianca is.]
A letter in which only the business was written without any greetings. It was still a hard tone.
I had a laugh that came out of nowhere. He left me safely. In the meantime, the letter with only a brief description of the purpose truly like him, Sebastian.
Said the maid standing next to me.
“If it’s the Serif Inn, it’s not too far from here. Surprisingly, he gave the address.”
… Sebastian has a slightly naive side. He must have known that we could follow him if we wanted to.
Besides, it was the relationship I let go of first. So he didn’t think I was going to do something strange all of a sudden. I also had the same thoughts as his expectations.
Of course, it was bittersweet that the request that he made as soon as he found a place to live and asked for Bianca’s whereabouts.
Five years ago, I ordered the maid while watching Bianca’s back as she left the room after she said everything she wanted to say.
‘Catch that woman.’
“…!”
Bianca looked at me in surprise.
It was the same with the maid. Not everyone seemed to think I could do something like this. As I watched the knights arresting her, Bianca’s eyes were full of resentment towards me.
So I kidnapped Bianca.
Bianca was sent to a place where Sebastian would never find it. Supervised and confined all of her life. Of course, she had food and lived in moderation.
My hands were shaking. It was the first time I did something myself. Something that even my parents didn’t plan for. In the end, the misery of choosing to eat the forbidden fruit came over me.
But at the same time, there was also a rising expectation. I was sure Sebastian would come to respond somehow. Sebastian, who had been wandering around looking for Bianca for several days, finally came to see me.
I thought he would be angry, but he knelt in front of me.
“I will marry the Princess.”
“…”
“Please return Bianca. Don’t bother people around me anymore.”
Sebastian began to cry with a pale face. As if the hardships that he had been through have exploded. He approached my feet and bowed his head. With trembling hands, he placed a large hand on top of my shoe.
“Please….”
I looked at him quietly. A massive figure was lying completely at my feet.
It was a gesture of defeat to me. In the end, it was his submissive action to accept my proposal.
I bit my lips. Seeing him lying face down in front of me made my heart ache. But I didn’t dare to experience that feeling. In the end, I made the choice as a member of the Lowell family. I took away everything from Sebastian.
I decided to be satisfied. Let’s be satisfied with how he, who had maintained his noble pride, eventually collapsed and sobbed under my feet. In the end, let’s not regret my decision to keep Sebastian next to me.
In fact, it was somewhat satisfying. It was the story before the wedding.
…..Yes, it was like that then.
Being immersed in the sentiment, I let out a cynical smile.
“Send the divorce papers to the address. As soon as possible, the succession to the Dukedom can be obtained only after the divorce proceedings are completed.”
“Yes, I will send the documents within today.”
“….And turn off the surveillance on Bianca. Tell Sebastian where Bianca is.”
The divorce papers were prepared in advance. I also finished my signature. Sebastian only had to sign it. In fact, in the Empire, especially the divorce of high-ranking nobles like me, the Emperor’s permission was required. But the Emperor said he didn’t like me marrying Sebastian from the beginning, so he easily agreed to the divorce.
My divorce no longer had a disturbing factor.
…In the end, was my heart the problem?
Was it my stubbornness that made my relationship with Sebastian Hughes last this long?
I suddenly thought of that and smiled bitterly. I should have let him go earlier, because it was a relationship that I was holding on to alone foolishly.
From the beginning, this unrequited love was started by myself.
I was moved by his kindness alone, I fell in love with him alone, and I wanted him alone.
I forced him to stay with me, even though I knew he had a lover.
In fact, he had never smiled at me sincerely.
I didn’t want to live like that anymore. It was a time of great change in my life.
“Oh, and….”
I said to the maid who was about to leave the room.
“Will you have a carriage ready tomorrow morning? I have a place to go.”
***
The next day, I was heading somewhere in a carriage.
I told my parents that I wanted to go get some fresh air.
Remembering my recent changes, my parents gladly allowed me to go out. They said I must have a lot of worries and thoughts, so enjoy my outings.
The carriage went up the mountain. It was full of magical energy. The shadows of the green trees cast over the carriage. A gentle breeze blew and the leaves clashed and there was a rustling sound. It was mysterious, but also gloomy at the same time.
As if sensing a huge change in fate approaching me.
The carriage arrived at the top of the mountain. I opened the door and got out of the carriage with the help of the maid. The wheelchair touched the ground. When I looked up, I saw a small hut.
“Are you really okay, Princess?”
The maid knew that my outings had no light purpose. She asked if I was sure to enter the hut.
I looked at the maid, and nodded.
“Yes. it’s okay.”
“But…..”
The maid had a confused expression on her face. She looked like she was wondering if it would be okay to let me enter the hut. I said in a reassuring tone to the maid.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to worry too much. I just want to talk.”
“… Even talking is strictly prohibited by law. Do you know?”
Of course I knew. As I nodded, the maid knew I was aware of the seriousness of the situation, so she meekly followed me.
She pushed the wheelchair into the hut. The knight knocked and opened the door to the hut.
As we entered, the scenery inside the hut caught my eyes. Hanging ornaments, dolls in the corner, candles lit on the desk.
They were gathered in various places in the room, creating a mysterious and heavy energy.
And over a dimly flickering candle, a woman was sitting with her eyes closed.
****
*the woman is not Bianca, by the way.